Apple and Samsung call a truce on foreign patent lawsuits

The so-called patent war between Apple and Samsung has been downgraded to a mere battle, with both companies calling a truce that will put an end to all of its foreign patent lawsuits. The announcement was made in a joint statement yesterday, and lawsuits being held in eight countries will be dropped as a result.

The patent fights between Apple and Samsung have neared legend status, crossing between borders and, often times, being long and bloody, at least in the financial sense. This will prove good news for the judges that have repeatedly encouraged the companies to come to an understanding.

Legal spats taking place in Japan, Australia, South Korea, Italy, France, the UK, Germany, and the Netherlands are all slated to be dropped. Issues of design and wireless technology infringement will no longer result in foreign scuffles, but no licensing agreements have been made, either.

Cases taking place within the United States will continue, and the lack of a licensing agreement has some suspicious about the long-term results of this cease-fire. Hit up the timeline below for related news.